Lack of protected truck parking cited in NTSB report on 2023 bus crash

The Grayhound bus concerned within the 2023 crash in IllinoisNTSBAn absence of protected truck parking was one of many circumstances cited by the Nationwide Transportation Security Board in a report on a 2023 crash involving a motorcoach and a number of other parked tractor-trailers.

The NTSB stated driver fatigue, insufficient firm oversight and a important lack of protected truck parking alongside the Nationwide Freeway System led to a deadly early-morning collision on Interstate 70  in Highland, Illinois, the NTSB decided at a board assembly not too long ago. 

The NTSB studies, „On July 12, 2023, a Prevost motorcoach operated by Greyhound touring westbound departed I-70 for the Silver Lake Relaxation Space exit ramp, the place it collided with three tractor-trailers that had been parked on the correct shoulder of the exit ramp. Because of the crash, three motorcoach passengers had been killed and the driving force and 11 passengers sustained accidents. The truck drivers within the three tractor-trailers had been unhurt.

“This crash was as tragic because it was preventable,” stated NTSB Chairman Jennifer Homendy. “Our investigation delivered to gentle a important scarcity of protected truck parking and made clear a painful lesson: till we tackle this necessary security problem, lives are in danger on our nation’s roads.”

Amongst its suggestions, the NTSB urged the Division of Transportation to increase using the Truck Parking Data Administration System to establish the necessity for added truck parking. The system makes use of cameras and sensing gadgets to establish open truck parking areas at relaxation areas. These openings are posted to digital freeway indicators and will be despatched on to truck drivers.

The NTSB additionally urged grants be made accessible to state and native governments to create and keep truck parking.

Through the assembly earlier this week, NTSB investigators and board members mentioned a number of issues of safety on this collision. These included:

• ​​Motorcoach driver fatigue
• Poor driver oversight by Greyhound, together with lack of a progressive self-discipline coverage; lack of sufficient record-keeping; and lack of insurance policies for implementing driver monitoring methods
• Inadequate federal steerage on security administration, driver teaching and fatigue mitigation
• Lack of seat belt use by the motorcoach passengers
• Crash threat from lack of truck parking availability alongside the Nationwide Freeway System

Because of this investigation, the NTSB is issuing 11 new suggestions and two reiterated suggestions to the U.S. Division of Transportation, the Federal Motor Service Security Administration (FMCSA), Greyhound Strains, the Nationwide Coalition on Truck Parking, the American Bus Affiliation and the United Motorcoach Affiliation.

Moreover, the NTSB is reiterating two security suggestions beforehand issued to FMCSA.

An govt abstract containing the possible trigger, findings of the investigation and security suggestions can be found on the investigation net web page. The ultimate report shall be printed on the NTSB’s web site in a number of weeks.